The 2025 WNBA playoff picture is shaping up to be one of the most competitive in recent history. From established contenders looking to reclaim their spot in the women’s basketball mountaintop top to up-and-coming teams that are hoping to cement their place among the best squads.
For the first round, as of Wednesday, Sept. 10, the best squad in the 2025 season, the Minnesota Lynx, are likely to take on the Seattle Storm, a team that’s been looking to rebuild on its past successes for the West 1-versus-8 matchup. The Lynx are pursuing redemption after they were beaten in last year’s finals.
The winner between the Lynx and the Storm will then face the victor from the cross-conference matchup of the defending champions New York Liberty and the Phoenix Mercury. If the Lynx and the Liberty end up advancing, they’ll do a rematch of last year’s finals in the first round.
The two-versus-seven series out East between the Atlanta Dream and the Indiana Fever presents two squads that are the best out of the middle pack. But, the short-handed Fever will try their luck against the team-based Atlanta squad without superstar Caitlin Clark and standout Sophie Cunningham due to season-ending injuries.
The final potential matchup of the first round then sees a Western conference powerhouse in the Las Vegas Aces go up against the most recent expansion team in the Golden State Valkyries, who have been a dark house all year. Still, coach Becky Hammon’s Aces are led by regular season MVP frontrunner A’ja Wilson.
As the 2025 WNBA season continues, teams have around one to two games left on their schedule and can mix the seedings up depending on who comes out on top. Nevertheless, there is still an influx of talent in teams that are already eliminated such as Dallas Wings, led by Paige Bueckers, and the Chicago Sky who possesses Angel Reese.
Read More: Kate Martin Leads Golden State Valkyries to Beat Caitlin Clark’s Special Record with Indiana Fever
Last Year’s WNBA Finalists Still Stand Atop Their Respective Conferences
Last year’s WNBA finalists in the Napheesa Collier-led Minnesota Lynx and the New York Liberty, spear-headed by the dynamic duo of Breanna Stewart and Sabrina Ionescu, find themselves in different kind of situations entering the postseason. The Lynx have been the team to beat all year in the league, while the Liberty have had their fair share of ups and downs.
In the 2025 WNBA Finals, the Liberty won its first ever title in its franchise’s history after defeating the Lynx in their best-of-five series. 3-2.
Also Read: New York Liberty vs Las Vegas Aces Odds, Picks, and Prediction (Aug. 13)
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